Display device



Feb. 26, 1957 PERETT] 2,782,538

DISPLAY DEVICE Filed May 51, 1956 i 5.1. i W :25 i i G i J N 5 l i Q i 13 i 10 i Z @022 ard P?) 'a 172' &4 41/2201 Jays:

2,782,538 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 ice DISPLAY DEVICE Leonard Peretti, Chicago, IlL, assignor ,to Arvey Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 31, 1956, Serial No. 588,436 Claims. (Cl. 40-96) This invention relates to animated displays, and more particularly to advertising and the like devices wherein subject matter forming all or a portion of a display is caused to be moved horizontally on an endless belt disposed in a generally vertical plane.

In general, the device of the present invention comprises a pair of cylinders rotatably mounted on a suitable support with their axes in a common vertical plane, and an endless belt engaged about the cylinders carrying pictorial and/or descriptive material whereby a message not fully visible at one time may be displayed by horizontal movement of the belt, or illustrative components, complete in themselves or complementary to a fixed frame component, may be successively brought into view.

In the past it has been conventional in devices of the aforesaid class to mount similar cylinders with their axes parallel to each other, which has made necessary a flange extension at the top and bottom of'the cylinders to prevent the endless belt from riding or dropping off. The belt in such arrangement naturally rubs against these flanges and results in undue friction, requiring a much larger motor to run the device than would ordinarily be necessary in the absence of such defect. Further, as a result of the requirement of such flanges in the prior devices, the endless belt engaged about the cylinders became frayed in constantly rubbing against the flanges, reducing the life and efliciency of the device and often causing tearing and premature destruction of the endless belt or inhibiting the employment of relatively economical material such as paper or plastic film.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved animated display device of the class described, characterized by its economy and simplicity of construction and enhanced life and utility.

I generally accomplish these objects, in accordance with the present invention, by mounting the two cylinders, with their axes extending in a common vertical plane, but inclined toward each other at their upper ends,

a with the message-carrying endless belt having one of its edges shorter than the other. This when disposed over the inclined cylinders is adapted to telescopically fit snugly about them, spaced from the upper and lower ends of each of the cylinders. By reason of the aforesaid construction of the belt and the inclination of the cylinders, the belt remains in engagement about the cylinders by gravity, and even though the belt may expand and contract due to atmospheric changes or wear, it remains in firm engagement, since the arrangement of the components is such that minor riding in an upward or downward direction may take place to compensate for such changes without being interfered with by restricting or constricting flanges.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention, together with details of construction and arrangement of parts, will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the display device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates the front face of a display device which may be wholly or partially of relatively rigid material, such as metal, wood or fiberboard, and in the present case includes the rearwardly extending side wing portions 11, 11. It will be understood that, although not shown, the facing 19 may also include a base portion, a backing, and top closure. In the form illustrated, the facing 10 may or may not be provided with pictorial or text matter complementary to the pictorial or text matter carried by the portion of the endless belt 12 visible through the sight opening 13 in the vertically extending facing 10.

Secured in suitable manner rearwardly of the facing 10 are the U-shaped brackets 14, 14-, as for example by spot welding when the facing 10 is of metal, the opposed arms 15, 15 of each of these brackets being apertured to provide journals for the axial shafts or axially projecting pintles 16, 16 projecting from the opposed ends of each of the cylinders 17, 17. As will be noted, these U-shaped members 14 are disposed so that the axes 16 of the cylinders 17 are inclined toward each other at their upper ends, and these cylinders 17 are mounted so that they are disposed adjacent but spaced outwardly of the sides of the sight opening 13 whereby the belt 12 may be moved parallel to the plane of sight opening 13 and effectively embrace it at all times.

The endless belt 12 engaged about the cylinders 17, 17 may be composed of paper, plastic film, woven fabric, composite or laminate thereof, and the like, and is suitably formed of an endwise joined arcuate strip; or restated, the strip of which the belt is formed may be considered a development of the conical surface of a frustum of a right circular cone. When the belt is collapsed or doubled on itself its folded edges will conform to the angle embraced by the extended axes of the cylinders 17, 17, and its arcuate edges will lie on concentric circles having their center at the focal point of said extended axes, and thus snugly embrace the pair of cylinders when disposed about them. The width of the belt, as it lies over the cylinder, is less than the length of the cylinders 17, and the cylindrical faces of said cylinders being free of abutment means, the belt is maintained on said cylinders solely by telescopic and gravitational engagement. Thus, even though the cylinders 17 in the illustrated form have been shown to be mounted between the arms 15, 15, projecting normally from the web of the U-member 14, these arms play no part in retaining the belt 12 in position, and in the alternative, although not shown, it will be understood that the cylinders 17, 17 might be mounted on bearing or journal means engaged to a projected lower axial shaft extension spaced from the ends of or inwardly of the confines of the periphery of the cylinders.

For purposes of animation suitable means are connected to one of the cylinders, such as for example an electric motor 19 and speed reducer 20, the latter being connected to the shaft of one of the rollers 17 by means of a flexible coupling 21.

As will be noted from the illustrations, the cylinders 17 and the engaged endless belt 12 are disposed behind the sight opening 13 in the panel 10, so that it effectively embraces said sight opening and may, if desired, form a component of a composite display in which the moving belt portion 12 and the fixed free portion Flt) form component parts. Thus, for example, the endless belt 12 may be decorated with, for example, clouds which constantly move and lend animation to the fixed display portion 10. As another example, the animated poriton 12 may comprise a moving background which gives illusion to movement of illustrations contained on the fixed portion 10, all as will be understood in the animated display art.

As an alternative, although not illustrated, it will be understood that the device of the present invention may comprise merely the pair of inclined cylinders 17 and the frictionally engaged and supported endless belt 12 without employment of a fixed facing component 10, in which event the cylinders 17 can extend and be supported on a horizontal base, and in lieu of the supporting brackets 15 they may be supported as previously indicated on the journals or hearing at their lower ends.

Although I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my device, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications may be made in the details thereof in addition to those hereinbetore described without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be restricted except as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An animated display device comprising a support, a pair of cylinders rotatably mounted thereon with their axes disposed in a vertical plane and inclined toward each other at their upper ends, and an endless belt frictionally engaged about and edgewise spaced from the ends of said cylinders.

2. An animated display device comprising a support, a pair of spaced cylinders rotatably mounted thereon with their axes disposed in a generally vertical common plane and equally inclined to the vertical and toward each other at their upper ends, and an endless belt in embracing engagement with said cylinders, the upper edge of said belt being shorter than its lower edge and in snug gravitationally seated position on said cylinders inwardly of their upper and lower ends.

3. An animated display device comprising a pair of spaced cylinders, means rotatably supporting said cylinders with their axes disposed in a substantially vertical plane and slightly inclined to the vertical and to each other an equal degree at their upper ends, a flexible endless belt in snug frictional embracing engagement with and in telescopic gravitational retention on said cylinders, the edges of said belt lying on concentric circles with the upper smaller than the lower and spaced from the upper and lower cylinder edges, and means for driving one of said cylinders.

4. An animated display device comprising a fixed component formed with a sight opening and a movable component comprising an endless flexible belt composed of an endwise joined arcuate strip disposed to move substantially parallel to the plane of said sight opening and to be retained in substantial registry thereover, a pair of spaced cylinders disposed in a vertical plane and inclined toward each other at their upper ends and telescopically disposed within said belt, gravitationally retaining it thereover spaced upwardly of their lower end portions, and means rotatably supporting said cylinders.

5. An animated display device comprising a fixed component including a vertically extending facing formed with a sight opening, a movable component comprising an endless belt disposed to move substantially parallel to the plane of and to embrace and to remain in substantial registry with said sight opening, the edges of said belt being arcuate and substantially concentric and the upper being shorter than the lower, and means for supporting and moving said belt comprising a pair of spaced cylinders rotatably engaged to said fixed component with their axes substantially parallel to said facing and slightly inclined at their upper ends toward each other an equal degree to the vertical and telescopically disposed within said belt gravitationally retaining it thereover freely spaced from the cylinder ends, and means for driving one of said cylinders.

No references cited. 

